Genre: Drama, Sci-Fi, Mystery, Thriller

Cast: Cameron Diaz, James Marsden, Frank Langella

Director: Richard Kelly

Music: Win Butler, Regine Chassagne, and Owen Pallett of Canadian band Arcade Fire.

Reasons to watch: Only for Sci-fi maniacs and for people who like the show Deal Or No Deal!

Reasons not to watch: Offers nothing original.

Storyline: Based on a short story ‘Button, Button’ by Richard Matheson, The Box revives all the sci-fi cliches that were left untouched by directors for many years.

Norma Lewis (Cameron Diaz) and Arthur Lewis (James Marsden) with their son Walter Lewis, make a normal suburban family. Until one morning, the door bell rings and Norma finds a box at the doorstep. The same evening Arlington Steward (Frank Langella), the person who delivered the box comes knocking on the Lewis’ residence with an offer. The scene is depicted like an eerie version of Deal or No Deal . They press the button, they get $1 million, but someone, somewhere in the world will DIE… someone whom they don’t know. With 24 hours to make a decision, after which the box will be collected and the offer would be made to someone else, Norma and Arthur find themselves in a moral dilemma that leaves them to face the true nature of humanity characterized by desire, greed and selfishness.

Climax Handling: Could have been better. The message is clear — Life is a vicious circle.

Points: The Box runs on the lines of The Day the Earth Stood Still. The latter was a high budget disappointment and the former turns out to be a low budget disaster!

Rating: 6/10

Comments: ‘No Deal’ Mr. Richard Kelly!

1. The Book of Eli

Director: Allen Hughes, Albert Hughes

Cast: Denzel Washington, Gary Oldman, Mila Kunis, Ray Stevenson, Jennifer Beals

Release Date: January 15th 2010

Summary: Denzel Washington is a lone warrior who must fight to bring society the knowledge that could be the key to its redemption. Gary Oldman has been set to portray the autocrat of a small expedient town who’s determined to take possession of the book in Eli’s guarding.

2. Extraordinary Measures

Director: Tom Vaughan

Cast: Harrison Ford, Brendan Fraser, Keri Russell, Courtney B. Vance

Release Date: January 22nd 2010

Summary: This is the story of a biotechnology executive and his wife, who hire a research scientist and defy all odds to pursue a cure for the life threatening Pompe disease in order to save the lives of their affected children.

3. I love you Phillip Morris

Director: Glenn Ficarra, John Requa

Cast: Jim Carrey, Ewan McGregor, Leslie Mann, Rodrigo Santoro

Release Date: February 5th 2010

Summary: I love you Phillip Morris is a fact-based film about Steven Russell, a married father and also a convict in jail. The story is about his mad love for his male cell-mate, who eventually gets freed and Steven’s four time escapades from Texas prisons to meet his love.

4. The Wolfman

Director: Joe Johnston

Cast: Benicio Del Toro, Emily Blunt, Anthony Hopkins, Hugo Weaving, Geraldine Chaplin, Kiran Shah, Art Malik

Release Date: February 12th 2010

Summary: Lawrence Talbot (Benicio Del Toro) is a haunted nobleman and the disappearance of his brother lures him into his family estate. Reunited with his resentful father (Anthony Hopkins), Talbot sets out in search of his brother’s whereabouts which leads him to realize his ghastly destiny. Inspired by a yesteryear horror classic, The Wolfman might just bring the classic definition of ‘haunting’ back.

5. Shutter Island

Director: Martin Scorsese

Cast: Leonardo DiCaprio, Mark Ruffalo, Ben Kingsley, Emily Mortimer

Release Date: February 19th 2010

Summary: Easily the biggest and the most expected movie of 2010 – goes into the list of “unmissables”. Martin Scorsese gives life to Dennis Lehane’s psychic thriller with Leonardo DiCaprio and Mark Ruffalo in the lead. The two of them play U.S Marshals investigating the disappearance of a patient from Boston’s Shutter Island Ashecliffe Hospital whose activities later on turn out to be unethical to illegal to downright sinister. As they turn the heat on their trail by amassing clues, they soon begin to lose trust on each other, their memories and their sanity.

6. Alice in Wonderland

Director: Tim Burton

Cast: Mia Wasikowska, Johnny Depp, Anne Hathaway, Helena Bonham Carter

Release Date: March 5th 2010

Summary: An imaginary sequel to Lewis Caroll’s classic, Alice returns to Wonderland at 17. As she makes her way through, she realizes that the place has changed since her last visit. A change that she least expected — a sparely haunted, disordered and overrun Wonderland.

7. Green Zone

Director: Paul Greengrass

Cast: Matt Damon, Jason Isaacs, Greg Kinnear, Brendan Gleeson, Amy Ryan

Release Date: March 12th 2010

Summary: The successful duo that gave us two of the three roller coaster hits in The Bourne Series is back. Matt Damon and director Paul Greengrass team up again for Green Zone which depicts the U.S led regime in Iraq. Matt Damon is a warrant officer who stumbles upon an elaborate cover-up by his own people as he goes in search of weapons of mass destruction believed to be hoarded in the Iraqi desert.

8. Clash of the Titans

Director: Louis Leterrier

Cast: Sam Worthington, Liam Neeson, Ralph Fiennes, Gemma Arterton

Release Date: March 26th 2010

Summary: Based on the 1981 film bearing the same name, Clash of the Titans is a story about the transcendental encounter over power between men and Gods. With the Gods fighting amongst themselves, darkness and destruction looms large which could very well destroy the world. Perseus (Sam Worthington) who is halfman-halfGod strives hard to save his family from Hades, the bloodthirsty and vindictive God of the underworld.

9. Ironman 2

Director: Jon Favreau

Cast: Robert Downey Jr., Mickey Rourke, Gwyneth Paltrow, Sam Rockwell, Don Cheadle

Release Date: May 7th 2010

Summary: Having disclosed his Iron Man identity to the public, Tony Stark the billionaire inventor is reluctant to share his scientific know-hows with the military. But, forces beyond his control hatch a devious plan against him.

10. Robin Hood

Director: Ridley Scott

Cast: Mark Strong, Russell Crowe, Kate Blanchett, Kevin Durand, Matthew Macfadyen

Release Date: May 14th 2010

Summary: The story of how an archer in the service of King Richard the Lionheart became to be known as Robin Hood, the famous archer and outlaw of English Folklore. Featuring historically accurate characters such as Sir William Marshall and grounded in reality (in a similar way to Gladiator), this is the making of the legend we have come to know him as now.

11. Shrek Forever After

Director: Mike Mitchell

Cast: Cameron Diaz, Mike Myers, Eddie Murphy, Antonio Banderas, Julie Andrews, Justin Timberlake

Release Date: May 21st 2010

Summary: A sick and tired Shrek (Mike Myers) who seems to have lost his ‘ogre’ self, gets duped by Rumpelstiltskin who promises to restore Shrek’s ‘original’ self. This takes Shrek to an awry and perverse Far Far Away, where Rumpelstiltskin is the King and ogres are the hunted. Moreover, the most disorienting fact is that Shrek and Fiona have never met in that kingdom. So, Shrek begins to materialize his efforts by trying to restore the actual Far Far Away and regain his true love.

12. Prince of Persia: Sands of Time

Director: Mike Newell

Cast: Jake Gyllenhaal, Gemma Arterton, Ben Kingsley, Alfred Molina

Release Date: May 28th 2010

Summary: Based on the popular video game, Prince of Persia is set in medieval Persia where a bold and daring prince joins hands with an emulous princess to find a time-manipulating dagger which is the only means of stopping an angry Grand Vizier who wishes to destroy the world by unleashing a huge sandstorm.

13. Sex and the City 2

Director: Michael Patrick King

Cast: Sarah Jessica Parker, Kim Cattrall, Kristin Davis, Cynthia Nixon

Release Date: May 28th 2010

Summary: It is an upcoming sequel to the 2008 movie, Sex and the City. The movie is in production stage right now and is slated for a May 2010 release. It comes with the tag-line “Carrie On” which is a sort of a pun in comparison to the “Get Carried Away” for the previous movie.

14. The A-Team

Director: Joe Carnahan

Cast: Liam Neeson, Bradley Cooper, Sharlto Copley, Quinton Jackson, Jessica Biel

Release Date: June 11th 2010

Summary: Having been framed for a crime that they never committed and now in the U.S military’s most wanted list, four Iraq War veterans look to clear their names with the U.S military. But yet, they are forced to go on a run. The movie is based on a 1980 classic action-comedy TV series that tickled the funny bone of an entire nation.

15. The Twilight Saga: Eclipse

Director: David Slade

Cast: Kristen Stewart, Robert Pattinson, Taylor Lautner, Billy Burke, Ashley Greene

Release Date: June 30th 2010

Summary: Victoria is still on the run and is out to avenge James’ death. With the previous movie New Moon just ending in a standstill, Eclispe may just answer all the questions that were left unanswered. Meanwhile Bella’s feelings for Jacob leave her torn apart in this love triangle.

16. The Last Airbender

Director: M. Night Shyamalan

Cast: Noah Ringer, Nicola Peltz, Jackson Rathbone, Dev Patel

Release Date: July 2nd 2010

Summary: Based on a Nickelodeon TV series, The Last Airbender is about the dangerous journey of a hesitant young child who strives to bring unity in a war torn world where civilization exists as four mighty empires.

17. Inception

Director: Christopher Nolan

Cast: Leonardo DiCaprio, Ken Watanabe, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Marion Cotillard

Release Date: July 16th 2010

Summary: After giving us the biggest hit of 2008 in The Dark Knight, Christopher Nolan returns with the story that is said to explore the architecture of the human mind. Leonardo DiCaprio plays a higher up executive who gets himself involved in a blackmailing scandal.

18. The Expendables

Director: Sylvester Stallone

Cast: Sylvester Stallone, Jet Li, Jason Statham, Mickey Rourke, Eric Roberts

Release Date: August 13th 2010

Summary: “The Expendables” is a story that follows a team of mercenaries whose task is to infiltrate and overthrow a dictatorial regime in South America. With an impressive starcast, this movie has already set the verbal “hyperboles” rolling.

19. Harry Potter and The Deathly Hallows: Part One

Director: David Yates

Cast: Daniel Radcliffe, Rupert Grint, Emma Watson, Helena Bonham Carter

Release Date: November 19th 2010

Summary: With Dumbledore gone and darkness spreading, it is up to Harry, Ron and Hermione to find Voldemort’s remaining horcruxes and destroy his soul completely. In their quest for the horcruxes, they stumble upon the mystical three ‘Deathly Hallows’ which they will need to succeed in their endeavour.

20. The Chronicles of Narnia: The Voyage of the Dawn Treader

Director: Michael Apted

Cast: Georgie Henley, Skandar Keynes, Ben Barnes, Will Poulter, Gary Sweet

Release Date: December 10th 2010

Summary: Aboard The Dawn Treader, a wondrous Narnian ship captained by King Caspian; Edmund and Lucy along their irksome cousin Eustace Scrubb find themselves headed for the very edges of the world in a journey encountering dragons, slave traders and merefolk.

10 – Where the Wild Things Are

Director: Spike Jonze

Cast: Paul Dano, Forest Whitaker, Mark Ruffalo, Catherine Keener

Points: Moving sleekly from being splendorous to farcical, it creates a profoundly simple cohesion between the  two worlds of fantasy and reality. But having been adapted from a book that was enthralling, it needed to be better.

9 – A Serious Man

Director: Joel Coen & Ethan Coen

Cast: Michael Stuhlbarg, Fred Melamed, Richard Kind, Aaron Wolf

Points: The Coen brothers hit the deck again with their fleckless film-making and Roger Deakins’ editing gave way to fabulous cinematography.  But this movie missed in shades due to a lack of modicum of empathy and humanity.

8 – Up in the Air

Director: Jason Reitman

Cast: George Clooney, Vera Farmiga, Anna Kendrick

Points: This movie proved to be a capper for Clooney who has had a great year. Up in the Air is a movie of immense etiquette and unobtrusive aspirations. For a dry comedy flick, it had an essence of unfortunate exigency in it. It was worth a watch, but I doubt if it deserved the price of a ticket.

7 - (500) Days of Summer

Director: Marc Webb

Cast: Zooey Deschanel, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Clark Gregg, Minka Kelly

Points: (500) Days of Summer struck a chord with a male skewed audience by redefining the romantic comedy genre. Substantial performances by the lead characters with entertaining musings.

6 – District 9

Director: Neill Blomkamp

Cast: Sharlto Copley, Jason Cope, David James, Mandla Gaduka

Points: District 9 is an inhumane and rapacious tale. With a powerful and captivating script, it is a figment of modern day fiction with a contemporary theme. District 9 came out with all guns blazing – tyranny, avarice, hegemony and a conflict of cultures at odds.

5 – Fantastic Mr. Fox

Director: WesAnderson

Cast: George Clooney, Meryl Streep, Jason Schwartzman, Bill Murray

Points: Absolutely ‘Fantastic’. This puppet fantasy movie is filled with hilarious and delightful moments that will make your hearts reach out to heaven. The best animation movie this year after Up.

4 – The Hangover

Director: Todd Phillips

Cast: Bradley Cooper, Ed Helms, Zach Galifianakis, Justin Bartha

Points: It is totally insipid, stupid, unweaned and definitely that sort of movie which would lead to your mother spanking your ass for watching it. But that is exactly what worked for the movie. Defines the word ‘hilarious’.

3 – The Hurt Locker

Director: Kathryn Bigelow

Cast: Jeremy Renner, Anthony Mackie, Bryan Geraghty, Evangeline Lilly

Points: The Hurt Locker is full of cutting-edge realistic action and visceral human drama thats all in all makes it a gripping film. A true to reality depiction of modern day warfare that silently questions the purpose of war.

2 – Up

Director: Peter Docter

Cast: Ed Asner, Jordan Nagai, Christopher Plummer, John Ratzenberger

Points: How does Pixar continue to do it? Previously it was Wall-E, now it is Up. Coming from a collaboration of Disney and Pixar, Up has raised the standards of film-making (both animated and ordinary) in Hollywood. I never thought I would relate myself to this movie because it was about an old man who ties balloons to his house. But, within less than five minutes into the movie, something in me told me, ” NO, I don’t want this movie to end.”

1- Inglourious Basterds

Director: Quentin Tarantino

Cast: Brad Pitt, Christoph Waltz, Michael Fassbender, Eli Roth

Points: Quentin Tarantino seems to be hanging on to a lost world of movie-making and setting his own standards which he matches every time he comes up with a  wonderfully complex story such as this. Tarantino gives life to this intriguing and absorbing World War II drama by adding a touch of fantasy and signature Tarantino-style visualization.

Genre: Action, Adventure, Sci-fi, Thriller

Cast: Sam Worthington, Zoe Saldaña, Sigourney Weaver, Stephen Lang, Giovanni Ribisi, Michelle Rodriguez

Director: James Cameron

Music: James Horner

Reasons to watch: Amazing VFX and photorealistic 3D imagery.

Reasons not to watch: Weak storyline that bores you as it progresses.

Storyline: It is 2154 and the focus is on Pandora – a planet few light years from the Earth, inhabited by an abnormally tall, cat eyed, blue-skinned humanoid race called the Na’vi. Humans are at work on this planet with three different motives. A group of scientists is led by Dr. Grace Augustine (Sigourney Weaver), the brains behind ‘Avatars’ – bodies identical to the Na’vi clan, that are created by the inter-linking of human and Na’vi DNA but remote-controlled by scientists, with a sole purpose of maintaining diplomatic relations with the locals. Jake Sully (Sam Worthington) is a paraplegic Marine who volunteers for the Pandora program by taking his deceased twin brother’s place.

A major mining conglomerate and the military dudes sum up the remaining human task-force on Pandora. Giovanni Ribisi (makes a fool of himself in the movie) stars as Parker Selfridge whose obsessed agenda is Unobtanium – a valuable mineral found on Pandora, especially at one of the most holy places of the Na’vi. The plan is to let the avatars live among the Na’vi, quell them up, offer them various improvements (I wonder why they would need ‘improvements’ with flying giants on their side) and take the Unobtanium from right under their noses (big ones) . Colonel Miles Quaritch (Stephen Lang) heads a league of ex-military dudes who have been hired to provide security; but these guys are impatient brats itching to provoke the Na’vi into war. Stephen Lang’s overacting gives you the feeling he is constantly on steroids.

Having lost his way during a training program and rest of the team abandoning him, Sully is rescued by Neytiri (Zoe Saldaña), a young Na’vi lady, with whom he later falls in love (James Cameron loses the plot here). Thereafter, Sully lives with the Na’vi and soon gains enough trust and information that would make him a valuable asset to the Pandora program. Torn between the two worlds, Sully finds himself in a climacteric fight for his own survival and that of the natives.

Climax Handling: A logical ending to a not so extraordinary story. 3D imaging at it’s best.

Points: Avatar, the ’so called’ future of cinema is finally out. James Cameron’s confounding epic is a mix of mind-boggling visuals and eye rolling silly stuff. For all the pre-release banter about how this movie was going to change the future of movie-making, it disappoints. So is it worth a watch? Absolutely yes! But only for the technical bustle. But as a consummate movie? There lies the problem.

Rating: 8.0/10

Comments: Avatar scores in the depiction of it’s CGI world, but fails like 2012 with a messed up screenplay filled with clichés and hackneyed expressions.

]]> http://www.themovieanalyst.com/2009/12/17/avatar-english-movie-review-2009/feed/ 7 http://www.themovieanalyst.com/2009/12/11/2012/ http://www.themovieanalyst.com/2009/12/11/2012/#comments Fri, 11 Dec 2009 07:32:44 +0000 Suraj http://www.themovieanalyst.com/?p=184 Language: English

Genre: Action, Adventure, Drama, Sci-fi, Thriller

Cast: John Cusack, Amanda Peet, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Thandie Newton, Danny Glover

Director: Roland Emmerich

Music: Harald Kloser

Reasons to watch: Mind-blowing visuals and special effects.

Reasons not to watch: Lengthy run-time and horrible screenplay.

Storyline: The year is 2012 and the future of human civilization looks bleak. Looks like the Mayans were right after all. US President Thomas Wilson (Danny Glover) is warned by Dr. Adrian Helmsley (Chiwetel Ejiofor), that some drastic measures need to be taken to prevent the extinction of the human race. Why? Dr. Adrian and a group of geophysical scientists from all over the world, while scrutinizing the effect of radiations from the solar storms on the earth, figure out that the earth’s crust is breaking apart.

Jackson Curtis (John Cusack), a writer and a divorced dad of two (but drives his car like he just got out of the racing derby), stumbles upon the same information when he meets Charlie Frost (Woody Harrelson) while camping with his kids at the Yellowstone National Park. With the world in the brink of an impending cataclysm, the world leaders come up with usual crap ideas to save humanity and Curtis struggles to find a way to save his family. Meanwhile, Roland Emmerich has his usual share of fun by immersing us in the vulgar mayhem as he reduces the famous monuments around the world to crumbling debris.

Climax Handling: Waterlogged finale feels drippy.

Points: Roland Emmerich has always had an obsession to rely heavily on special effects and out of the world visuals in an attempt to make the best movie ever (at which he has failed miserably). Having spent a whopping $200 million, Roland Emmerich and his co-writer Harald Kloser have screwed up the movie’s screenplay with utmost care. Kudos to the special effects team for giving the viewers the best that technology has to offer.

Jackson Curtis: When they tell you not to panic… that’s when you run!

Rating: 6.5/10

Comments: Train wreck…. Plane wreck…. Car wreck…. Yawn!

Language:

Genre: Sci-fi, Drama, Fiction

Cast: Haley Joel Osment, Jude Law

Direction: Steven Spielberg

Music: John Williams,

Reasons to watch: It is one of the most spine-chilling sci-fi stories. It is unbearable and the worst part is, that the horror does not come because the setting is horriffic. It comes from the minute probability that all this might, one day just happen to our world. The movie is just too beautiful.

Reasons not to: If you don’t like far-sighted movies etc..

Story: The story is set in a year far away from now, when the world identifies itself as an ‘orga’ or a ‘mecha’. They have managed to synthesize a robot which can feel love. Which can respond to human emotion. David is the first of this kind. He is sent to a family that promises to take care of him, because their own child has been put into suspended animation. But as soon as the child is cured, and the whole setup is too unnatural to be functioning smoothly, David is given up by his mother. One fine day. He, with all his attachment to home, and love for his family, out in the real world. Where he’s neither completely an orga nor a mecha. He has read The Adventures of Pinocchio. He thinks there would be a blue fairy that would turn him into a real boy. Then he would be able to gain his mother’s love. His search for the Blue Fairy goes on.

He never turns into a real boy. But he does find a way to rest in peace. With his mom telling him a bedtime story. Them lying in bed, ages after his search for the fairy even started. And he finally finds that moment which takes him to the place “where dreams are born”.

Climax Handling: This is not just a projection of technology into the future. This is also a very grotesque but real picture of what will become of the world. The eyes with which this picture has been shown to you, are real. David’s love is real. But he is not. The climax unsettles you. It makes you tremble. All in pursuit of The greatest single human gift – the ability to chase down our dreams.

Points:

Professor Hobby (The scientist who made David) : You are a real boy. At least as real as I’ve ever made one.

David: Mommy? Will you die?
Monica: Well, one day, David, yes, I will.
David: I’ll be alone.
Monica: Don’t worry yourself so.
David: How long will you live?
Monica: For ages. For 50 years.
David: I love you, Mommy. I hope you never die. Never.

Rating: 9.5/10

Comment: Please watch the movie when you’re ready for it. AI is even more relatable than other science fiction projections into future societies. Indeed – The brave New World it is.

Genre: Fantasy, Sci-fi, Action, Adventure

Cast: Kurt Russel, James Spader, Jaye Davidson, Viveca Lindfors, Alexis Cruz

Direction: Roland Emmerich

Music: David Arnold composes a great sci-fi soundtrack – rich and ominous

Reasons to watch: Vintage sci-fi, Jaye Davidson as Ra..! Excellent graphics considering a pre – CGI era movie.

Reasons not to: Poor characterization, the movie suffers from the poor second-half syndrome

Story: Something was unearthed in Egpyt, something much more than just an artifact – a gate to another dimension – The Stargate. But how does it work? Enter Daniel Jackson – a nerdy genius – who reveals the truth of the Stargate and discovers how to use it. Now the Stargate must be utilized – but who’ll dare to discover the hidden truths of another world? Enter Colonel Jack O’Neil and his team of soldiers, all set to take a journey across time and space.

But what is a Sci-fi movie without a villain? Enter Ra – the demi-god, the leader of an alien race, who has enslaved humans and uses their bodies to rejuvenate his youth. And thus begins the conflict between Slaves and Masters, Good and Evil and the fate of a civilization, and Earth itself hangs in balance as Ra plans to send a nuclear bomb via the Stargate.

Jackson and O’Neil must fight Ra and his army of warriors, and find the symbol, the symbol to control the Stargate.

Climax Handling: Confusing and predictable.

Points: A movie which was a forerunner to two popular TV series, Stargate begins on a promising note but disappoints later. A movie that could have been.

Rating: 6.5/10

Comment: Worth a lazy look, maybe more than that for a science fiction enthusiast.

Language: English

Genre: Action/Drama/Sci-fi/Thriller

Cast: Denzel Washington, Paula Patton, Adam Goldberg, Val Kilmer, James Caviezel

Direction: Tony Scott

Music: Harry Gregson-Williams

Reasons to watch: Denzel Washington, a good mix of science and drama, well-shot action sequences and nice cinematography

Reasons not to: Same old time-travel story, parts of the story defy their explanation.

Storyline: After an explosion on a ferry kills hundreds of US Navy sailors and their families, Doug Carlin(Denzel Washington) an ATF agent investigates the crime. Impressed with the ATF agent’s skills, the FBI invites him to join a new team comprising of Paul Pryzwarra(Val Kilmer), Dr. Alexander Denny(Adam Goldberg) and others. They use a state-of-the-art satellite imaging technology that is capable of recreating happenings within a four and a half day time period within a fixed radius. Meanwhile a young woman’s death is also reported whose burnt body is discovered. Agent Carlin believes that this death is a clue to the ferry explosion. As he works with the team, Agent Carlin discovers that this new technology is not a satellite imagery tool, but a much more complex space folding device capable of time travel.

After tracking down the bomber, Agent Carlin has another plan – why not go back in time and prevent the killing and the bomb explosion? Is it possible and is he successful in his attempt? Watch it to know the answers

Climax Handling: The climax can be a bit confusing and underplayed as compared to the action in the rest of the movie.

Points: Though the concept of space folding in the movie and its execution is only marginally believable(notwithstanding several glitches), the movie is more or less gripping.

Rating: 7.5/10

Comment: Watch it for the action and the cinematography, worth the popcorn really..!

Language: English

Genre: Action/Sci-fi/Thriller

Cast: Keanu Reeves, Laurence Fishburne, Carrie-Anne Moss, Hugo Weaving, Joe Pantoliano

Direction: The Wachowski Brothers (Andy Wachowski and Larry Wachowski)

Music: Rob Zombie, Rage Against the Machine, Rammstein, Marilyn Manson, The Propellerheads – This is one hell of a collection for rock enthusiasts.

Reasons to watch: Keanu Reeves(:D), brilliant concept and script, revolutionary CGI and avant-grade action sequences never tried before, impeccable acting, in short a perfect package

Reasons not to: In case you don’t like action or sci-fi movies but you’ll be missing something

Plot: Thomas Anderson(Keanu Reeves) is just another software programmer in a company by the day, but as night falls, he assumes the role of a hacker, Neo. Neo is being contacted by a guy who calls himself Morpheus(Laurence Fishburne), who apparently knows a lot about Neo and knows the answer that Neo desperately wants to learn – What is the Matrix? Neo is taken into custody for questioning by Agent Smith(Hugo Weaving), who warns him about Morpheus being a terrorist. Neo however meets Trinity(Carri-Anne Moss) who saves him from the Agents and takes him to Morpheus. Morpheus will tell Neo all about the Matrix – a programmed world, designed by the machines to lure humans into a false reality, while they are in physical bondage. Morpheus unplugs Neo from the Matrix and they together with Trinity, the Oracle and the people of Xian(the free world) fight against the Machines and the Agents(who are software programmes built to protect the Matrix). Will Neo be their savior – is he the One? Well, there is only one way to find out, Watch it.!

Points: Breathtaking fight sequences, amazing use of the special effect known as ‘bullet time‘, great graphics and effects, this movie will leave you spell bound

Rating: 9/10

Comments: Winner of 4 oscars, a script inspired by the Bhagvad Geeta and other religious scriptures, a total revenue of 460 million and counting, this movie is a MUST WATCH.

Followed by: The Matrix Reloaded, The Matrix Revolutions

Genre: Drama/Science-Fiction/Fantasy

Cast: John Travolta, Kyra Sedgwick, Forest Whitaker, Robert Duvall(You still need a reason to watch this movie..?

Reasons to Watch: Very thought provoking and inspiring, excellent acting and interpretations.

Reasons not to: Travolta doesn’t dance in this movie.!

Director: Jon Turteltaub

Music: Thomas Newman’s done well on the soundtrack with Eric Clapton doing ‘Change the World’ – a song with a beautiful meaning.

Storyline: George Malley (John Travolta) is the guy next door, loved and admired, who sees a blinding light on the night of his 37th birthday and becomes a changed man. Very soon the whole town is talking about the ‘phenomenon’ and it becomes difficult for Malley to cope up with this ‘gift’. What follow is a tale of changing perceptions, accidents and discoveries and a gripping saga of how society can make or break a man, and how love and knowledge brings peace upon the most horrid disturbances.

Climax Handling: The climax isn’t rushed or sudden, but comes at its own pace, relaxed yet disturbing.

Points: Very inspiring and meaningful cinema backed by some good direction and performance

Overall Rating: 8/10

Comment: Everybody dreams of superpowers, what if you get some.? One of Travolta’s most underrated films, watch it to reveal a new side of him.